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Uprooted: Roots owner opens new pop-up food truck at Aberdeen beach
Seven months after closing plant-based food truck Roots at Aberdeen beach, the owner Nick Coetzer has launched Uprooted.
The new food truck will appear at Aberdeen beach with pop-ups, serving 'one-off' menus including dishes like steak or aubergine frites.
The first pop-up on June 7 was a success, says Nick.
'It was great,' he says.
'It's been a long time since I've been in a food truck.
'It was amazing to see all the new faces and so much support there.
'I was really happy with how it all went.
'On the first pop-up it rained, and there were still people queuing in the rain – that was pretty amazing to see!
'I'm quite humbled. I'm always super grateful.'
The new Uprooted food truck serves a small, curated menu, and there will be a second pop-up this coming Sunday, June 15, 12-4pm.
Nick, 42, closed Roots food truck seven months ago.
'I just felt like Roots had come to its natural end,' he explains.
'For myself professionally wise, I didn't want to carry on doing something that had run its course.
'I wanted to do something a little bit different and something more sustainable for myself.
'There was nothing wrong with the business, but it was physically taking a toll. I had a couple of surgeries.'
The chef has been delighted to step back into a food truck, and get to meet both new and old customers at Uprooted.
'There's nowhere to hide in a food truck,' he laughs.
'As a chef, it is a real joy to not only cook their order, but physically pass the dish into their hands.
'They've waited there, they've queued and they have been patient.
'You're in touch with your customers – not just in the kitchen where you don't see what's going on.
'It really keeps that standard high, and you make sure everything goes out as perfectly as you can make it.'
The new pop-ups allow Nick flexibility with opening times, but also with the menu.
The previous menu at Roots was entirely plant-based, but at Uprooted on Aberdeen beach there is a broader choice available. This changes with each pop-up, too.
'These pop-ups allow me to blend a bit of everything together,' Nick says.
'It's about running small specials, and each one I can focus on it being as good as it can be.
'Keep it simple, keep the food good, and make it something I can maintain.'
The menu for the first pop-up last weekend included classic steak frites: hanger steak served with seasoned, skin-on fries topped with either whisky peppercorn or chimichurri sauce.
The plant-based option consisted of panko-breaded aubergine with katsu curry sauce, served with seasoned, skin-on fries, pickled red cabbage, fresh chilli and coriander and toasted sesame seeds.
For this Sunday, the menu is all about burgers.
A double smash cheeseburger is on the menu for Father's Day, with two patties inside a toasted brioche bun, topped with caramelised brown butter onions, sauce, pickles and American cheese.
There is also the option to add bacon jam.
The veggie option is a hot fried aubergine burger in a brioche bun alongside ranch sauce, cheese, pickled red cabbage and lettuce.
Nick adds: 'Generally with the pop-ups at the moment, whatever the theme is, we have one meat version and one plant-based version.'
